My wife and I are trying to solve a geneaological puzzle.

Having over the years definitively traced numerous ancestors to various regiments of the Civil War (both North and South being born in Ohio and W.Va. respectively), we have "hit a possibility" on another, but want input from others on its likelihood. We wanted to see if anyone with interests in Civil War regiments from Ohio could help us with their opinions and insight.

My g.g. grandfather Charles A. Lester was born about 1845 (according to his death certificate) in Kentucky.

The earliest first-hand documentation we have regarding Charles A. Lester was found in Chillicothe, Ohio where he married his wife in 1866 and is listed in the 1869-1870 Chillicothe, Ohio, City Directory as a carriage painter. His father is also listed with him in the business as a carriage painter, indicating that Charles A. Lester likely lived in Chillicothe before the war.

As Charles A. Lester would have been of enlistment/draft age during the Civil War, and as he was the son of a carriage painter, we assumed he probably served in the war ... as he likely would not have been able to hire a substitute or pay commutation fees.

With this in mind, we have located a Union soldier by the same name (but no middle initial listed) of the same approximate age in the same general locale. He is as follows:

Charles Lester
Enlist Date Enlist Rank Enlist Age
01 August 1864 Priv 23

Served Ohio
Enlisted E Co. 4th Cav Reg. OH
Mustered Out at Nashville, TN on 15 July 1865
Source: Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio
Abbreviation: OHRoster
Published in 1886

We have also found documentation that Co. E of the 4th Ohio Cavalry mustered in Nov. 27, 1861 at Camp Dennison. Camp Dennison was located 17 miles north of Cincinnati. Located along the Little Miami River, Camp Dennison was strategically located near Cincinnati, the Ohio and Little Miami Rivers, and the Little Miami Railroad. The rivers and railroad provided quick transportation from various parts of Ohio and surrounding states.

With this background, our question is this. Do you think it is likely (or not likely) that a young man of Civil War service age would have traveled 100 miles (as the crow flies) to enlist at Camp Dennison, Ohio and join the 4th Ohio Cavalry? ... This enlistee's age is several years older than Chas. A. Lester's age may have been (according to his death certificate in the 20th Century), but several census records in the late 1800s put the age within 2 to 3 years of my g.g. grandfather Charles A. Lester. ... And river travel from the Chillicothe to Cincinnati was quite possible via Scioto River southward and Ohio River westward.

Thanks in advance for any relevant opinions and expertise.

Mike and Pam Bailey